Neighbor Saves Family From House Fire

January 06, 2013|David P. McKay | dpmckay@ctnow.com, FOX CT

FAIRFIELD — A sleeping family was saved from a house fire due to an alert neighbor's call, fire officials said.

Emergency personnel responded to a house fire in the area of Colony Rd. and Fairview St. at 7:02 a.m. An unidentified neighbor made a 911 call to report flames and smoke from the side of a fellow resident's home, Fairfield Fire Department Assistant Chief Scott Bisson said.

Upon arrival, firefighters were met with moderate smoke coming from the house. The family – including two children and their pets – was already outside, having been notified by their neighbor that the house was on fire, Bisson said.

Four fire engines and two ladder companies extinguished the flames within a short period of time.

No one was injured.

Investigators learned that the fire had been accidentally started when smoking materials were improperly disposed of in a plastic garbage can on the side of the house, Bisson said.

In addition to the damage of the house a parked car nearby sustained damage before the flames were extinguished.

The total damage is estimated to be $8,000.

"This family was very fortunate their neighbor saw the fire and alerted them when they did. This notification combined with the rapid call to 911 allowed the sleeping family to escape this fire while it was still small and outside of the structure," Bisson said.